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How odd is this? My metadata was just rejected because my app title had the word "Free" in it. My app is completely 100% free. Why wouldn't Apple want me to let users know that?

Because this is Apple being Apple being sh*theads as usual. Or, you got a sh*thead reviewer who is clueless and making up his own rules.

Seriously though, Apple continually rearranges the furniture for the sole sake of rearranging the furniture. It's the whole history of the iOS program... Riddled with this kind of crap.

Apple is probably thinking that since you offer IAPs, the app is not truly free? That's the only reason that makes any sense. The FTC may be coming down on their butts for "false" advertising... so they pass it on down to you.

Your app name to be displayed on the App Store includes keywords or descriptors, which are not appropriate for use in an app name.

Specifically, the following words in your app name are considered keywords or descriptors:

Free

Next Steps

Please revise your app name to remove any keywords and descriptors from all localizations of your app. Keywords can be entered in the Keywords field in iTunes Connect to be used as search terms for your app.

Please also remember to re-evaluate your app name title to ensure it’s 50 characters or less.

Looks like it's a reviewer call and not an actual rule. I have been hit with that in the past when I used a few adjectives to describe the game in the title. They told me it was inappropriate for the title, and was considered a keyword. So... was told to remove it from the title and place them in the key word section instead. Upon appeal, it was still rejected. Looks like the word "Free" is now one of those pesky adjectives with certain reviewers. I wish you luck with this as getting this resolved is hit and miss, based on my experience. On some I managed to get it through. On others, not. You just got a "bad" reviewer.

I've been knocked back again so have appealed. There are a few bugs in the existing version but I may just leave it rather than lose the name yet again. Have appealed but looks like you can't use the word "Free" to describe a free app.

I was just thinking about this the other day: as an app store user, when i look for apps these days, i don't enter "free" as part of the search term anymore.
I remember when app store first came out, i search "free torch" , "free whatever", but not anymore.